[RandomReality]

Hi guys. Read this article in the Star-Ledger about the adoption reforms that are supposed to come. You know how we all thought that adoptions were taking a really long time and the system was all screwed up and over-complicated? Guess what. We were right! Adoptions are down SIXTEEN PERCENT since they tried to "fix" things.

Here is the link and the first paragraph or so:
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index....380.xml&coll=1

State scuttles adoption reform that backfired

Plan intended to expedite process instead creates a record backlog
Sunday, August 06, 2006 BY SUSAN K. LIVIO
Star-Ledger Staff
The backlog of New Jersey foster children waiting to be adopted has soared to a record high because a new system that promised a speedier adoption process has failed, state officials say.
More than 1,700 children are waiting for the Division of Youth and Family Services to find families that will adopt them, evaluate those who want to adopt, or simply complete paperwork, officials say. That's about 200 more kids caught in red tape than there were a year ago.
Adoptions of foster children are down 16 percent through the first five months of this year. They also fell more than 7 percent in 2005, the year new procedures were first implemented.
State Department of Children and Families Commissioner Kevin Ryan said the changes -- part of court-ordered reforms to New Jersey's troubled child welfare system -- backfired so badly, he is reinstating the old system

[leenab]

I hope that story helps gets DYFS moving, especially since we should have an adoption coming up in about 6 months. DYFS really can't afford bad publicity.